Cup filling apparatus

ABSTRACT

Cup-filling apparatus embodying a tray having a flat bottom wall and upstanding sidewalls. A plurality of spaced apart openings in the bottom wall are surrounded by downwardly and inwardly extending continuous flanges which engage upper inner surfaces of subjacent cuplike members to define a continuous seal therewith. A second tray having openings therein and downwardly and inwardly extending flanges in vertical alignment with the openings and flanges in the first-mentioned tray is mounted beneath the first mentioned tray with upper edges of the cuplike members clamped therebetween.

United States Patent Gerald M. Mead [72] Inventor Rte. 3, Cullman, Ala. 35055 [21] Appl. No. 749,520 [22] Filed Aug. 1, 1968 [45] Patented Mar. 2, 1971 541 CUP FILLING APPARATUS 2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs. 521 11.5.0 141/237, 141/247 [51] Int. Cl B65b 3/04 [50] Field of Search 53/390, 392; 141/234, 237-241, 247, 363-366, 390, 391; 141/316; 248/(lnquired) [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,790,626 1/1931 Menninger et a1 141/237X 1,912,352 5/1933 Schranck 141/237X 2,027,830 1/1936 Krein 141/237 2,685,395 8/1954 Levine 141/237 2,688,429 9/1954 Davison l41/365X FOREIGN PATENTS 772,214 8/1934 Frimce 141/316 Primary ExaminerLaverne D. Geiger Assistant Examiner-Edward J. Earls Attorney-Jennings, Carter & Thompson CUP FILLING APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to cup-filling apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for filling cuplike members with food products such as mustard, butter, ketchup, salad dressings, preserves and the like, as well as ice and'ice cream products.

l-leretofore in the art to which my invention relates, difficulties have been encountered" in filling cuplike members with food products due to the fact that it has been the usual practice to fill the individual cups separately by hand. This not only requires considerable time and labor but the cups are not filled uniformly and much of the materials get onto the sides of the cup during the filling operation.

Cup-filling apparatus embodying features of my invention is Y illustrated in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this cups my invention, lshow an upper tray 10 having a flat bottom wall 11 and upstanding sidewalls 12 which extend all around the tray 10' to prevent spillage of materials from the tray. A plurality of spaced apart openings 13are provided in the bottom wall 11, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. Surrounding each opening 13 is a downwardly'and inwardlyextending, continuous flange 14 which is adapted to engage the inner surface of a subjacent cuplike member 16-adjacent the upper end thereof, as clearlyshown in FIG. 3. That is, the downwardly and inwardly extending flanges 14 extend inwardly of the upper end of the cups l6 and engage the inner surface of the cups, as shown, to define a continuous seal between the flange I4 and the upper, inner surface of the cuplike member 16.

A second tray 10a is mounted beneaththe tray 10, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The lower tray 10a is provided with a flat bottom wall 1 10 which is provided with a plurality of spaced apart openings 13a which are infvertic'al alignment with thedownwardly and inwardly extending flange 14a is opposite and subjacent a downwardly and inwardly extending flange 14 so that the upper edge of the cuplike member 16 is clamped between the flanges l4 and 1 4a'upon raising the lowermost tray 10a from the dotted line position to the solid line position shown in FIG. 1. The lowermost tray 10a is also provided with upstanding sidewalls 124 which extend generally parallel to the upstanding sidewalls 12 of the uppermost tray 10, as shown in FIG. 3. The upper edges of the upstanding sidewalls 12 and 12a are preferably rolled as atl? and 17a, respectively, to add rigidityfto the tray andat the-same time provide means for handling the tray.

Fromtheforegoing description, the operation ofmy im'-' proved apparatus for filling cuplike members will be readily understood. The cups-16 are inserted in the openings 13a with the tray 10a in the dotted line position. With the cups thus positioned in the openings 13a, the lower tray 10a is moved from the dotted line position to the solid line position whereby the downwardly and inwardly extending flanges 14a engage the outer surfaces of the cups 16 adjacent the upper ends thereof. The uppermost tray 10 is then positioned on top of the lowermost tray whereby the downwardly and inwardly-extending flanges l4 move'inwardly of the cups 16, as shown in FIG. 3. Accordingly, by positioning the tray 10 on top of the tray 10a whereby the uppermost tray is supported by the lower tray 10a, the upper edges of the cups 16 are clamped between "the downwardly and inwardly extending flanges l4 and 14a. The engagement of the flange 14 with the inner surface of the cups 16 forms a continuous seal to prevent spillage of any of the materials over the sides of the cups. With .the trays 10 and 10a thus assembled,the filling material is introduced into the uppermost tray 10 and then racked by a paddle or suitable device into the openings 13 whereupon the filling material fills all of the cups 16. After the cups l6 have been filled, the uppermost tray 10 is lifted whereupon the filled cups 16 are supported within the annular flanges 13a carried by the lower tray 100. To remove the cups 16 from the lower tray 10a, the tray is moved to the lower, dotted line position shown in FIG. 3 whereby the cups 16 may be easily removed. If it is desired to transfer the entire group of filled cups to another location, the lowermost tray 10a is merely lifted from the dotted line position to the solid line position whereby the lowermost tray serves as a holder or carrier for the cups.

' From the foregoing, it will be seen that l have devised improved means for filling cuplike members. By providing a continuous seal between the downwardly and inwardly extending flanges l4 and the inner surfaces of the cups, there is no spillage of materials outwardly of the cups and at the same time upon lifting the uppermost tray,,t-he flange 14 moves upwardly to round off the upper surface of the material introduced into the cup whereby there is no subsequent spillage. Furthermore, by clamping the upper edge of the cups 16 between the downwardly and inwardly extending flanges l4 and 14a, there is no relative movement between the cups and the flanges 14 during the filling operation, thus further assuring proper filling of the cups without spillage.

While Ihave shown my invention-in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various other changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof.

Iclaim:

1. Apparatus for filling cuplike members having outwardly and upwardly extending upper edges comprising a. a first tray having a flat bottom wall and upstanding sidewalls;

I b. there being a bottom wall; a downwardly and inwardly extending continuous flange surrounding each of said openings and disposed to engage the inner surface of an outwardly and upwardly extending upper edge of a subjacent cuplike member and define therewith a continuous seal between said flange and said inner surface;

a second tray having a flat bottom wall and a plurality of spaced apart openings therein in vertical alignment with said openings in said first tray; and

e. a downwardly and inwardly extending continuous flange surrounding each of said openings in said second tray disposed to surround and engage the outer surface of an outwardly and upwardly. "extending upper edge of a cuplike member opposite and subjacent a downwardly and inwardly extending flange surrounding a superjacent opening in said first tray so that the upper edges of said cuplike members are clamped continuously between said downwardlyand inwardly extending flanges carried by saidfirst and second trays.

2. Apparatus for filling cuplike members as definedin claim 1 in which said second tray is provided with upstanding sidewalls disposed to extend parallel to said upstanding plurality of spaced apart openings in said I sidewalls of said first-mentioned tray. 

1. Apparatus for filling cuplike members having outwardly and upwardly extending upper edges comprising a. a first tray having a flat bottom wall and upstanding sidewalls; b. there being a plurality of spaced apart openings in said bottom wall; c. a downwardly and inwardly extending continuous flange surrounding each of said openings and disposed to engage the inner surface of an outwardly and upwardly extending upper edge of a subjacent cuplike member and define therewith a continuous seal between said flange and said inner surface; d. a second tray having a flat bottom wall and a plurality of spaCed apart openings therein in vertical alignment with said openings in said first tray; and e. a downwardly and inwardly extending continuous flange surrounding each of said openings in said second tray disposed to surround and engage the outer surface of an outwardly and upwardly extending upper edge of a cuplike member opposite and subjacent a downwardly and inwardly extending flange surrounding a superjacent opening in said first tray so that the upper edges of said cuplike members are clamped continuously between said downwardly and inwardly extending flanges carried by said first and second trays.
 2. Apparatus for filling cuplike members as defined in claim 1 in which said second tray is provided with upstanding sidewalls disposed to extend parallel to said upstanding sidewalls of said first-mentioned tray. 